Elapsed Time
by Melancholy of the Cello
Summary: All of my personal submissions for NaruHina Month, starting with Day 1, Sunshine.
1. Day 1: Sunshine

"Hinata, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Hinata Hyuga looked up. Her eyes had been previously fixated on her black sandals in which finely manicured and painted toes peaked out. Now, her eyes were squinted in the direction of his all too familiar voice. The minuscule shade that was provided by the tree above her did not really do much to alleviate the strain she now had to put on her eyes in order to even see the mere outline of his face.

"Naruto?" she responded, her hand flew up to her brow, taking the form for the universal sign for, "What the hell is that?". She knew it was him, but that damnable sunlight!

Finally realizing her dilemma, Naruto moved himself so that he stood directly in front of her. Now, she could see his face more clearly and she secretly thanked God for it.

Naruto Uzumaki was gorgeous. Well, at least Hinata thought so. Every time she saw him, Hinata worked her eyes quickly up from the very soles of his feet to the small peaks of blond hair that characterized his new haircut. Hinata was often teased for hiding her figure under the baggy coats and pants that characterized the whole of her three-man squad, but no one ever talked about Naruto, with his heavy and bulky tracksuit-like ensembles. He had recently gotten better about it now that he regularly donned a black high collar and very form fitting jacket that highlighted the good points of his figure like one might say a good, tailored suit would have done. She was grateful to whoever had picked it out for him. She especially loved the days where he decided to leave that black jacket at home and walk the streets of Konoha wearing only a black T-shirt and his usual orange pants. Today was a special day apparently, because he decided to wear thigh-length orange shorts with that singular black shirt. She had never seen these shorts before and chuckled at the limited color scheme of his wardrobe. His legs were toned from fierce training and taxing missions and though they held poorly healed scars, she thought they were extremely sexy. His _legs_.

When she worked her eyes up to his hips and belly, she realized her attraction to him was merely at a simmer at the point of his legs. She could just see how the muscles of his quadriceps and hamstrings must simply be teasers for his abs and pectorals…Oh boy, here comes the sizzle…

Her eyes drifted then up to his face. Oh, his face! His lips, though thin and pale—well, now his whole body had tanned and his lips and the rest of him had become more brown than anything—when puckered the right way after saying just the right words, dared Hinata not to kiss them. They taunted her. The whisker birthmarks that brushed his cheeks begged Hinata to run her thumb gently across them as if she were tracing a beautiful picture. And now, to his eyes. Damn it, those eyes. A tantalizing and crystalline blue greeted her eyes with a passion and zeal behind them that was characteristically Naruto Uzumaki. She had always dreamed of the day she would have that _zest, _that _liveliness _in her Byakugan eyes that he did, and it seemed that when she peered upon the whole of him now, she had finally achieved that.

But who could forget his smile? That large and almost ridiculous grin of his was constantly the death of her. This face that brightened her day like the glow of a fresh morning sun was what heated her to a boil.

"Aren't you hot?" he asked Hinata, pointing at her clothes.

Yeah, she kind of was. She was still Hinata—constantly self-conscious about revealing too much of herself—and so she was wearing a baggy and honestly homely windbreaker with capri pants. Well, it _was _supposed to be a sweltering day, but she reasoned the sun probably wasn't the reason she was burning up. The fault entirely belonged to The Sun Personified.

"Take that jacket off," Naruto continued, not waiting for her to reply to his question, "you're gonna burn up in all that!"

Naruto had caught her sitting on the Ninja Academy swing, looking downcast for some reason. Honestly, it freaked him out. He was reminded of himself. He was reminded of the times he sat on that swing alone, looking dejected because he was.

"I'm fine, Naruto, really!" she said cheerily, smiling with lips shut.

He shrugged, "Okay."

There was silence. In their relationship, it no longer felt awkward for there to be no talking. Everything would be communicated with or without language eventually and the couple had come to realize that.

"Hey," Naruto began after a couple of minutes, he had taken to sitting grass in front of her, "so why are you sitting over here by yourself?"

Hinata just stared at him, and eventually, she lifted her left leg and hauled it to the other side of the swing, her profile now to her boyfriend on the grass. She was facing the city and looking at the throngs of people walking its streets. Her hands gripped the rope in front of her face tightly.

"I'm sorry," she said simply.

"For…what?" Naruto scratched his head and furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I…I used to see you sitting over here when we were kids, on this swing, looking like…like every day was a walk through hell for you. You looked so sad and alone and I know you…I know you were. I could see your pain and I never did anything about it. I'm so, so sorry, Naruto. I'm so sorry I didn't have the strength to approach you when you needed it."—she chuckled here, which came as a surprise to Naruto, who was shocked enough as it was—"Like it should have been that hard! How hard could it have been to simply say hello to you? I pass this swing every day and I feel nothing but shame…"

Silence took its place again and it stayed for what Hinata felt was an eternity.

Naruto stood up and for a moment, Hinata thought he was going to walk away and leave her there, never to come back for her. Maybe this was the revelation he needed to snap himself out of whatever he was in with her. She refused to watch him leave, and kept her eyes fixated on the streets before her.

Suddenly, Hinata felt a shifting of the swing and saw a beautiful leg settle itself on one side of the swing, like she had done earlier. Naruto's front was pressed to her back, squeezing himself onto the short plank of wood. He draped his arms around her waist, her windbreaker crunching under this added pressure. His chin rested on her collar bone. Their cheeks were gently pressed together. His skin was soft.

"It's a really nice day outside, even if it is hot," he began quietly, as if sharing a secret he didn't want to risk anyone else hearing, "It's like a lazy Sunday in the summer, right Hinata?"

Hinata was too busy trying not to cry to verbally respond, so she nodded her head instead.

Naruto kissed his girlfriend's neck and said, "I don't care about any of that. You're here now and that's all I could ask for," as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Just knowing you cared when no one else did is enough for me," he continued, "Thank you, Hinata." She only nodded again.

"C'mon," he started and got off the swing, "let's get out of the shadows. Stand in the sun with me!"

Hinata Hyuga smiled. She walked with him, greeted by the warmth and light of sunshine.


	2. Day 2: Training Together

"Don't go easy on me, please."

Well, that was much easier said than done.

Naruto was the kind of boyfriend that was so enraptured by his girlfriend—the way she giggled, the way she flipped her hair out of her face, the way she sounded when she spoke—that while his focus was indeed entirely on her, sometimes it was not the part of her that he should have been focusing on. Today was no different.

"No offense, Hinata," Naruto began wryly, scratching the back of his head absently, "but I'm not sure I'm comfortable sparring with you…"

Hinata feigned confusion, if only to see where this conversation was headed, "Why?"

"Uh…" Naruto started dumbly, "I don't want to hurt you?" He phrased his statement tonally like a question.

"I'll be fine," she coolly dismissed his point. Boy, was she cool…

"Well….how am I supposed to not go easy…and also not be afraid to hurt you?"

Hinata's eyes narrowed. She activated her Byakugan in order to hide her annoyance under the guise of preparing for a small sparring match with her boyfriend.

"Who says you'll even touch me?" she said, getting in her Gentle Fist stance.

Naruto saw the seriousness in her eyes and heard the confidence in her voice as clear as crystal. When Hinata had said she wanted to practice taijustu but Kiba and Shino were gone, Naruto volunteered to train with her gladly, not realizing this was what she meant…

_God, she's hot._

"But…uh…" Naruto vocalized, still not convinced.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata began, not breaking her stance, "I thought you thought I'm strong?"

_Wow, I never knew Hinata was this incredible…_

_Don't be so down on yourself, Hinata; you're strong!_

Damn it, Naruto. The blond sighed and acquiesced, getting into no real stance in particular. He waited for Hinata to come at him; he'd be damned if he let anyone see him hit her first. They were both best in close range in and out of hand-to-hand combat and Naruto had faced a Hyuuga before, but Hinata's taijutsu had been rumored to have improved markedly, and he couldn't deny that when he had to watch her fight Pain…

This was going to be one giant fucking disaster.

She ran towards him wordlessly and he had supposed she felt a bit sorry for him, because she started out with a simple knee to the gut, perhaps to wake him up to the fact that she was one-hundred percent serious.

Naruto gasped at the impact, doubled over, and watched as Hinata jumped back, surprise painted her face.

I don't know why I expected a shadow clone…she thought.

"N-naruto-kun?" she tentatively reached her hand out towards him, then pulled back at the sound of his chuckling.

"Okay, okay," he began, squatted down and rubbing his mouth with the back of his arm, staring at the grass beneath him, "I get it; you seriously want to spar"—Hinata nodded, resolute—"Okay, I'll try my best."

He looked up at her and smirked, "Alright, Hina, come at me."

She nodded once and went on the offensive. He saw her beautiful hair shine in the sunlight, her eyes fill with intensity, and her body…

_Aw, shit…_

He was knocked out of his thoughts by Hinata's palm striking him under his chin. Naruto flew backwards, tumbling on the ground before landing on his bottom.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata shouted in surprise and ran to his side, "I'm sorry, was that too hard?"

"I'm—I'm fine," Naruto reassured Hinata hastily, "I just wasn't focused that's all."

"Is something wrong?" she asked him innocently, wide eyed.

Naruto glanced to the side, looking at nothing in particular. He was only trying to avoid Hinata's doe-like gaze. He rubbed the small of his back and grunted before standing up.

"No," he replied, "I'm ready this time. For real."

Hinata smiled weakly at him before momentarily disappearing. She reappeared next to the wooden training posts. Eventually, she got back into her Gentle Fist stance. Naruto could see her mouth the word "Byakugan" and he gulped hard.

It's okay Naruto, you can go toe to toe with your own girlfriend, he told himself in his head, just don't hit her face and you're fine…

"What the hell am I saying?" he mumbled to himself, "this is crazy!"

All of a sudden, he could hear rapid footsteps. She was charging at him again and now that he was paying attention to her movements, he noticed a slight hesitation in them. It was no doubt caused by Naruto's previous absent-minded slip ups, he gathered. So, to be fair and show he really was serious before going on the offensive, Naruto started to block her attack with his arm, but then he remembered his fight with Neji and how being touched anywhere would make him incur some kind of damage. Instead, Naruto jumped to the left of him and let Hinata pass. Once his feet touched the ground, he ran towards her, fist up.

_Please dodge this_, he begged internally.

Hinata did more than that. It was fast, but Naruto saw her get low, beneath his oncoming fist, and make moves to hit the chakra points in his stomach.

Shit! the Uzumaki swore internally and momentarily forgot that this opponent was his girlfriend. Now, he was focused on survival. In a last ditch effort, Naruto grabbed for her wrists and stopped her fingers from touching more than his jacket.

In frustration, Hinata's face scrunched up into furrowed eyebrows and a pout and she tried to wriggle herself free and was finding it rather impossible. Naruto smiled warmly at the sight.

_She is so cute…_

Naruto felt Hinata stop squirming; her pout was nowhere to be seen as she kept her head down. Naruto thought she had given up, a bittersweet notion since he never wanted to do this in the first place, but he was disappointed in her for doing what she said she'd never do again.

"Sorry about this," Hinata said to her boyfriend, barely above a whisper. Wrists still gripped powerfully by Naruto, Hinata jumped up and kicked Naruto's chest with both of her legs in an incredible yet self-destructive display of core strength. Naruto flew back, releasing her wrists, while she barely landed on her feet after skidding backwards a few times.

Naruto coughed violently. He had to get Hinata to share her leg exercises with him.

The Uzumaki had to admit, he was getting angry now. He stood up, saw her huffing in a mad grab for oxygen, and smirked.

"When you sparred with Neji," Naruto shouted to her, "how hard was he on you?"

Hinata smiled, remembering her and Neji's time together.

"He gave me all he had." she yelled back.

Naruto nodded. And this time, with no fears holding him back, safe in the knowledge that Hinata, his strong, intelligent, fearless girlfriend could handle him, their match moved like an elaborate dance.

Naruto was happy to know that Hinata was holding her own against him and that this seemed okay was no longer afraid. She could do it! She could—

"Kick his ass Hinata!"

"Ooh, a lovers' quarrel! Move over, Kiba!"

"Go, Hinata! Cha! Wipe the floor with him."

While Hinata seemed hardly phased, Naruto had become extremely distracted. He faltered and Hinata tripped him.

Side of his face in the ground, Naruto glanced up to see Sakura, Ino, Kiba, and Shino looking at him and his girlfriend trying to beat each other.

"What the hell happened Naruto?" Sakura began, walking towards the couple with the others quickly behind her, "You were doing so well!"

"I say too well," Kiba chimed in, "I think he was trying to hurt our teammate, Shino."

Akamaru barked in agreement.

"I think the notion that he'd try to hurt his own girlfriend is even worse," Shino replied calmly.

"Yeah Naruto," Ino started, "what happened? Hinata was going at it. What'd you do? Cheat or something?"

Everyone else hummed in agreement, as if considering it a viable explanation.

Face still planted on the ground, Naruto ranted,"Do I seem like a cheater to you?!"

Naruto Uzumaki could hear Hinata's laugh above the chit chat among everyone else. He smiled, relishing in the sound. Hinata held her hand out to him, helping him up.

Naruto groaned. He never wanted to do this again.


	3. Day 4: Smile

**A/N: **This is a dialogue-only fic, which is exactly how it sounds. No narration, just talking. Not even dialogue tags. Jaraiya in this fic is NH's 3rd child, not the Pervy Sage (may God rest his soul).

* * *

><p>"One…two…th—"<p>

"Damn it, Bolt! Sit still already!"

"Naruto…"

"I'm sorry Hina, but Bolt just—Hey! Damn it, Himawari, get your brother back here now."

"Naruto, language…"

"Wait, Bolt's right here though, Papa!"

"No, I mean your other brother, Hima…"

"I'm not a brother."

"No, Himawari! I meant—I meant Jaraiya, get Jaraiya!"

"I'll get him, Himawari just stay there, you look perfect where you are!"

"Thank you, Hanabi. Are you sure you don't want to be in this one with us?"

"Nah, I'm fine! I think with all this red and white here I'd blow some kind of dress code."

"Oh, there you are. Jaraiya, come sit on Papa's lap, okay? We're almost done, okay?"

"Okay! Okay!"

"Good…Okay, I think we're finally good now, Hanabi-chan."

"Okay, okay, you all look perfect! Let me get the camera; hold on!"

"Bolt, dear, stop squirming. The faster you stop fidgeting the faster you can go outside."

"Hmmph. I don't even know why we have to take this stupid picture. Hima doesn't either, 'ttebasa!"

"Hey! Damn tattletale!"

"Himawari, language!"

"If you didn't swear in front of the children, Naruto, they wouldn't swear now."

"Uh….and anyway we're taking this stupid picture because we want to show off our loving, happy family…Now be quiet, Bolt, and smile!"

"Why's that, Papa?"

"Because, Hima, that's what you do in family photos. You smile."

"Honey, I think she was wondering why we must show off our happy family, not why we have to smile."

"Oh…Well, because…

"…because I love all of you and I'm so…_so_ proud of you all. I love this family so much and, it's selfish, I know, but I want to…I want people to see how happy I am. I want to relive moments like these even in old age. I don't ever want to take _this _for granted. Not ever."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Okay, sorry it took so long! You guys ready?"

"Yes."

"Uh-huh!"

"Yeah, sure…"

"We're ready, 'ttebayo!"

"Okay…one…two…three…Smile!"


	4. Day 5: Ramen

**A/N: **I think this is partly inspired by Naruto: The Last spoilers and a lot of fan art. I started this in one direction and then ended up in a completely different one, but that's life, ain't it? So if the tenses change randomly it's because a) for some reason I just change tense sometimes b) this was written in a completely different tense before I changed it. so sorry in advance. Kinda NSFW but not really; my good Christian hands would not dare write the Devil's tales—only _hint_ at them.

* * *

><p>The pot boiled, full of stock. The smell of spices and cooked pork wafted in Naruto's apartment. Well, technically, it was Naruto and <em>Hinata's <em>apartment at this point. Hinata hadn't gotten used to the idea that that space—that apartment that looks out on the Hokage monument, a constant reminder of the dreams dreamt here that were on their way to coming to fruition—is also hers to share with the love of her life.

He constantly apologized for the state of his house, which he had once commented offhandedly as being made a_home _by her presence in it, and often expressed his wishes to give her something better….something more befitting the heiress of one of the world's oldest and most important families.

Hinata waved those kinds of comments away. She never required anything more than _him_. He was always enough for her. And so when he felt embarrassed one day when he asked her if she would like to move in with him, even though his measly and small apartment was nothing compared to the ostentatious Hyuuga compound, she assuaged that embarrassment by agreeing readily and kissing him, saying, "That sounds nice. I'd live in a cardboard box if it meant I'd be with you."

And she meant that. Every word. This is nice. Just being with him, for her, it feels like living in Heaven…and who could ever ask for more than the most?

"Hmm…" she muses and sighs.

Suddenly, there was a rattling of the door handle. Hinata gasped and turned abruptly.

_He's home!_

"Damn it," she heard him say on the other side of the door, "where the hell are my keys?"

Hinata chuckled lightly, shaking her head in disbelief. She walked to the door and rested her hand momentarily on the handle before twisting it and pulling the door back.

"Welcome ho—"

She couldn't get the words out before Naruto was on her, nearly squeezing the life out of her with his affectionate hug.

"I'm…I'm home," he said through a strained voice, "I'm home. I'm home."

Hinata slowly wrapped her arms around his frame, taken aback by his outpouring of emotion.

"Nar…Naruto," Hinata begins, her voice quieter than a whisper, "are you okay?"

He pushed her back so that he could get a better look at her. After scanning her nervous body and face up and down, he pulled her to him again, this time letting his lips crash against hers. It was rough and desperate, as if Naruto had been languishing for years on that mission, longing for the chance to come home. While normally Hinata would be too thoroughly drowned in the passion of such kisses to keep her eyes open, this time, Hinata could not fathom closing them. She was too afraid she'd miss the plea. To be certain, the only time Hinata ever heard the loud Jinchuuriki whisper was when he was pleading.

He let her lips go from his and she saw it. In his eyes, just like always.

"Are you cooking something?" he asked her, his eyes scanned the apartment animatedly, seeming to take their attention entirely from her.

Hinata was suddenly made aware of the aroma of cooking broth that had spread itself like wildfire throughout the complex. She shifted awkwardly away from her boyfriend to get to the pot and turned down the heat, "Yes," she confirmed, her voice changed tonally by apprehension, "I made your favorite…"—feeling uneasy about what just transpired, Hinata took to rambling, which was always widely regarded as more Naruto's propensity than hers—"…I figured you'd been eating nothing but, um, Land of Iron foods, which I know you don't really like, so I thought I'd, uh, just—"

Hinata felt Naruto's presence directly behind her. She didn't want to turn around, slightly afraid of what she'd see. She didn't have to turn around before he started kissing her again. He started with her cheek and worked his way down her neck.

He whispered, "I'm not that hungry…"

Hinata turned off the heat for the pot totally and turned around to face the blond. He was looking at her, yes, but with hazy, almost glazed over eyes that made her heart nearly come full-stop.

"Hinata…" he whispered again…almost moaned.

He was pleading. He was _begging_.

Liar. He _was _hungry. Practically starving.

Absolutely _famished_.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Hinata," Naruto said. His bandaged arm combed lazily through his lover's long hair, sometimes brushing her forehead absently, while his other arm rested comfortably, folded, between his head and his pillow.<p>

"Mhm," she sighed in response. The Hyuga's eyes were closed. One hand clutched the sheets that were covering her bare body, the other aided in making Naruto's body some kind of imaginary drawing pad, her fingers danced on his chest like paintbrushes on canvas in the hand of a skilled painter.

"Thank you," Naruto continued, his voice now taking a higher pitch as nervousness over his words set in, "That's kinda weird to thank your girlfriend for sex but, like, I mean, I really needed this. I mean, I'm not some gross guy that _needs _sex or anything all the time to make himself feel better…I mean that's weird! And I don't want you to feel like you have to do this…I mean I hope you know I would never force you to—What, I guess I'm trying to, to say is…"

"Naruto," Hinata hushed him, her eyes still closed though a small smile crept on her delicate features, "I understand you. You didn't pressure me into anything, by the way. I wanted to…."

Naruto stared up at the ceiling, his eyes transfixed on the whirring fan above them.

"Do you wanna help me find a new place we can start over in?" he says abruptly.

Hinata's eyes popped open, "Start…over?"

He nodded.

"This place is full of a lot of memories for me, but mostly of me coming to a house with no one in it. Now that you're here, well, I think I'm ready to move on. When I was at the door, no offense, but I kinda forgot you were probably inside. So, when you answered the door and I saw you there, I started thinking about how I almost died on that mission this week…Things like that bugged me before, but now, because I have you…it's different…"—he's rambling at this point, his mind moving faster than his lips can, but Hinata does not stop him. She wouldn't dare—"…like, it's weird, but I guess my life somehow means more to me now than it did before or something…I mean, I got what Neji was saying before, but now I _really _understand, y'know? My life isn't the only one. So that's why I want to move and I think I've saved up enough…"

"Naruto…"

"I mean," Naruto begins again, his bandaged hand scratching the back of his head, "only if you want to…I mean…move on with me?"

Hinata smiled.

"Cardboard box, remember?" she reminded him.

Naruto smiled a giddy and wide smile, clearly high with joy. He leaned his head over to kiss her. It's a long, passionate, and powerful kiss that seals their entwined fates.

His stomach growled angrily. Hinata chuckled and got up to get dressed. She couldn't wait to discuss next steps in their relationship with him over a nice bowl of ramen.


	5. Day 10: Dating

In their first days of courting, Naruto and Hinata tried on three separate occasions to be a normal, post-war, newly-matched couple. They tried, like Goldilocks, three bowls of the proverbial porridge, except for them no relief came with their third try. They attempted, to no avail, to sleep comfortably in the proverbial beds, and unlike the human girl of the classic fairytale, Hinata and Naruto were quite relaxed; they quite ready to eat the cold, hot, and just right porridge. They relished in their too hard, too soft, and just right beds…But like the little girl of Grimm storytelling, Naruto and Hinata were indeed interrupted in their bliss by annoying, indignant, and pissed off bears.

But it was…Every. Single. Time.

_Attempt Number One: Ichiraku's_

Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga walked side by side through Konoha on a bright Saturday afternoon. It was their first date, and even though professions of love had already been made on both sides, there was no sign to passerby that the two considered themselves anything more than close friends. There was no handholding—Hinata was far too shy about that sort of thing at this point in time and Naruto was too worried about savoring and marinating over his time with Hinata, not at all eager to move things quickly. There was no stopping on random street corners to risk pecks at cheeks and lips. Hinata had decided against the territorial fad of girls putting their hand in their significant other's back pant pocket. Naruto had cast his vote in favor of not draping his arm around his girlfriend—they could call themselves that, now, right? Girlfriend and boyfriend?—the Uzumaki actually found that gesture to be awkward, especially when Hinata preferred to keep her arms clasped at her sides. Professions of love were already made—and they made them over and over again habitually—what did they have to prove to anyone?

The only indication that any random passing individual would have of the couple's status was that the two of them did plenty of staring at each other. Glances here, peaks there, and when the clearly animated conversation got to an especially high point, there was plenty of staring. Longing, passionate, odd staring. Each time as if they were falling in love with each other all over again.

"Are you hungry?" Naruto asked during a low point of discourse. He had just before the question been discussing his favorite types of meats and spices—regularly inquiring to Hinata about her own—as if he were Choji disguised, and so Hinata picked up on the cue that he _must _be in want of a meal. And as he chattered on about pork and what—whatever the hell—cardamom is, the Hyuga began to realize the depth of her own hunger.

Hinata smiled at her boyfriend—she could call him that now, right? Boyfriend?—and nodded.

The couple was sat down on stools in front of Ichiraku's food stall. Naruto was too busy slurping down his bowl of ramen to engage in a conversation now, and Hinata didn't mind that. She had never been much of a talker and all of that chatter, no matter how exciting and interesting and that sometimes showcased how terrifyingly similar their belief systems were, somewhat exhausted her. Conversation with Naruto, she was starting to see, was like an S-class mission. And so she ate her meal in silence, content with just _being _with him.

"Hey it's Hinata!" a loud and unfortunately recognizable voice called from somewhere across the market square.

Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame walked up to the stall and Hinata turned in her seat to happily greet them. Naruto sucked up what noodles remained in between his chopsticks and frowned.

"What are you doing here, Hinata?" Naruto heard the dog-boy ask. His eyes narrowed.

_As if that wasn't _obvious, _Kiba, _he thought to himself impatiently.

"Well," Hinata began slowly, "Naruto and I are—"

"We're on a date, Kiba," Naruto interjected, now facing Hinata's teammates with her. He shifted his eyes to Shino, who had remained quiet by Kiba's side—"Shino," he greeted with tight lips. Shino said not a word in reply.

"Wait," Kiba said whilst scoffing, "Are you serious?"

"Kiba…" Hinata quietly chastised, knowing Kiba wouldn't listen to her anyway.

"Yeah," Naruto replied with a quizzical, almost insulted brow, "why wouldn't I be?"

Kiba laughed out loud this time, but felt a jab at his side from Shino and a decidedly icy glare from Hinata, "Never mind, Naruto…"

"Anyway," Shino finally spoke, "Hinata, I'm sorry but you're kinda needed…We've been looking for you all day. Hokage orders; we're meant to leave out for a mission in a few hours."

"Oh…" Hinata said, extremely disappointed.

_Of all the days_! she cursed the gods.

Naruto nodded in understanding when Hinata looked at him. Sensing Hinata's rising unease about kissing the orange ninja on the lips in front of Kiba and Shino, Ichiraku and his daughter, he opted to kiss her on her cheeks. It would have to do until he saw her off at the gates. In that moment, insecurities and embarrassments be damned. He was going to kiss the love of his life on her pretty, soft, and irresistible lips, dammit!

As she walked away with the rest of her squad, Naruto prayed the next attempt would be without interruption.

_Attempt Number Two: His House_

Of course, it wasn't. Of course something had to happen, because that was just, apparently, the luck Naruto and Hinata had. They tried again immediately after the Hyuga came back from an unbearably long two-week mission and Naruto was ushered off to Suna a week after Hinata left for an insulting and malicious month. _A month_! That was five weeks having not laid eyes on her. That was five weeks of her not feeling his lips against hers. Unforgivable!

When they were both back, Naruto had sent Hinata a letter a week before his return to meet him at his apartment. Hinata initially blushed at the idea of waiting for Naruto in his apartment, thinking of the _impropriety _of the idea, but then she shook that thought off. She was nineteen years old, damn it! Hyuga custom and strictness did not have to rule her choices, especially since she was not heiress any longer. So she found his key hidden behind a loose board—which Hinata reasoned was probably letting in a draft—and let herself in and waited.

They were on his sofa, innocently viewing some kind of situational comedy show and later some sexually-charged soap opera. When the bombshell character began passionately kissing the Byronic hero of this cheesy display for entertainment, Naruto got it into his head to make some television-worthy moments with his own beautiful love interest. And soon he and Hinata were busy making out on his couch, the plot of the next show on Naruto's television set lost on them as dialogue and background music were drowned out by the smacking of lips latching and unlatching from one another.

Naruto and Hinata both heard a key turn the formerly locked doorknob of a door that lead directly to this display in the living room, but neither really registered the impact of what they were hearing, too lost in each other to care. So when Sasuke Uchiha, returned again from yet another journey of philanthropy and atonement, saw his_usuratonkachi _feeling up and madly kissing a kunoichi he no doubt recognized, but wished he hadn't….

Well, Naruto and Hinata only had themselves to blame for this little impromptu show…and the utter embarrassment that followed. Normally, Sasuke would just _leave _situations like this before they even became something, but seeing as he'd never been in a situation like this, he was paralyzed by uncertainty. And by curiosity. It was the kind of curiosity that people felt when there was a car accident. People _want _to look away, to speed ever faster down the highway, but they _can't_.

So, slack-jawed, Sasuke stood there like a deer in headlights, completely unnoticed by Naruto and Hinata, who lay beneath the blond. (Who was also about an inch and four more kisses into getting her breast fondled by an eager wannabe lover.) As they continued. To go at it. Like horny, insatiable dogs in heat. Sasuke would have colored himself impressed. They went a considerably long time without coming up for air. So he would have, that is, if he wasn't absolutely destroyed by what he had witnessed.

When Naruto finally looked up from his girlfriend, and felt a presence not their own, both he, Sasuke, and eventually Hinata screamed in abject and disgusted terror.

_Attempt Number Three: Her House_

Sasuke demanded an explanation. Hinata looked like she was about to gag. Naruto stammered his way through an embarrassed and angry tirade on the importance of knocking. Sasuke commented that he announced his arrival outside the door and Naruto had already told the Sharingan user that he _could _enter whenever he damn well pleased…And that time just happened to be when Naruto and Hinata were swapping spit.

After Sasuke said he came just because he didn't want to traipse around Konoha for any length of time, being subject to angry stares and whispers and such, Naruto told his best friend to stay with him then. He practically begged Hinata with his eyes to forgive him for putting Sasuke above them and Hinata made a concerted effort show Naruto that she wasn't mad and that she understood, which she did. She knew Sasuke's situation and how important he was to Naruto and so she went home, until next time…

The next time, was the scariest of all. At least, to Naruto. Hinata assured the blond that when Naruto came to the compound two days after their last _fiasco _that no one but she and a few staff and branch family children would be home. She promised Naruto that her strict and taciturn father, Hiashi, would be out of sight and therefore out of her nervous boyfriend's mind.

As a precaution anyway, Naruto transformed into Hinata's little sister, Hanabi, just before rounding the corner to the Hyuga compound. He knocked on the window to Hinata's room and she answered, struggling to stifle her growing laughter at the sight of her "sister" looking nervous outside her window.

"Hey," Naruto said in a prepubescent, feminine voice, "it's me."

"I know," Hinata replied as the girlish figure climbed into her bedroom.

In a _poof _Hanabi's form dissipated and was replaced by a much taller, much more masculine, and much more goofy looking Naruto Uzumaki.

"Hey, I didn't want to risk being seen coming here, just in case _someone _saw me and decided to tell your father." Hinata chuckled that thought to the side.

"You, Naruto Uzumaki, war hero, and future Hokage," Hinata said playfully, touching his cheek gently as she did, "are afraid of my father?"

Naruto leaned down to kiss Hinata, and when he came back up, he said, "Yeah, but my feelings for you outweigh the fear."

After their last date, Hinata figured if someone did happen to walk in on them, it wouldn't matter. They'd learned their lesson about make out sessions and _assuming _they'd be private, and they certainly weren't about to hop on her bed and have sex. No, kissing was about as far as they were both willing to go, and now not even that.

Today, they resumed conversation and after a few hours, they went into the kitchen and cooked together, the conversation never lulling. Naruto had never known too much about Hinata before they started dating, but since then, he knew so much. He knew she loved to do flower pressing, that she had a dog once named Ahiko, she loved using her hands and making things, and so much more. He learned more about her each minute, each hour, and each day they were together.

"So did you end up trying it?" Naruto asked Hinata as he was peeling potatoes.

"Y-yeah," Hinata confirmed cheerily, "Except…that's when my sister blurted out that I was eating bull testes, and I kinda threw up. Really, they didn't taste bad, it was just the idea of eating cow balls…"

Naruto laughed out loud and Hinata followed suit, unbridled bliss filled the living space.

"Hinata?"

Beside herself with joy, Hinata replied unthinkingly, "Yes, Hanabi?"

Hinata's laughter ceased. Her eyes grew wide as she spotted her little sister and father in the doorway.

"Wh-what are you guys doing home so early?" Hinata questioned, slightly paler. She was more afraid for her boyfriend than anyone else, "I didn't expect you home un-until later tonight."

"My training went shorter…than expected…What—"

"Naruto," Hiashi interjected, greeting with a smile the boy who seemed to retreat inside himself, "it's nice to see you."

"Uh…" Naruto was practically sweating, "Yeah, same, Lord Hiashi."

"Uh…maybe I should get going," Naruto _thought _ he whispered this, but apparently not, as Hiashi spoke up assertively as he removed his sandals.

"Of course not," he says, "Stay! You've clearly made plans to stay. Don't let our arrival hinder that."

"O…kay…" Naruto agreed hesitantly.

"Hanabi and I will leave you two to your…date?" Hiashi ended the his statement with a question, clearly not imagining a date to be two lovers cooking together…that was called marriage.

"But, Father," Hanabi objected, but was silenced by her father's glare.

"Let's go, Hanabi, you still have a few forms I'd like to see you perfect today."

Naruto watched them leave the room. He was relieved. Hiashi didn't glare at him angrily or chase him around the village with swords in hand. He seemed…_welcoming _and completely okay with—with _this. _With _them._ Maybe third time's the charm.

Naruto tapped Hinata with his elbow, who continued to chop vegetables beside him.

"Hm?" she asked, not looking up from her skillful knife work.

Naruto Uzumaki bent down to kiss Hinata Hyuga—his love and his _everything_.

He stopped kissing her when he heard a clearing of the a throat. It was Hanabi Hyuga.

"Keep it clean, kids," she warned, grabbed her kunai set off the kitchen table, and left.

Naruto kept his distance the rest of the night.


	6. Day 11: Kiss

I.

When I was a little girl my mother  
>would rock me to sleep with tales of<br>princesses rescued by the might of a  
>true love's kiss<p>

I, from then on, associated lips with liberation  
>and an unchaining of souls from Earthly tether<p>

II.

I cried when I discovered that the feeling  
>of Mother Earth's brown and wormy skin<br>was not so nearly as comforting as the  
>smooth porcelain of hers<p>

My lips remain firmly planted  
>in the dimples of Gaia's cheeks while<br>the boys who introduced us speed away.

III.

I remember girls my age  
>Flocking to the haven of hot beaches for<br>the chance to be "sun kissed"

When I looked at you  
>I surmised that with your golden<br>hair and the Fire in your eyes  
>You must not have been kissed<br>by the Sun, but born of it

And so I, too, felt the mad  
>desire for my skin to be<br>heated and smothered by  
>the lips of the Son.<p>

IV.

My third kiss was shameless and sloppy.  
>Drunk and careless with fatigue<br>my liquid courage gave me the strength  
>to say<p>

"I love you"

And as a cold and metallic mouth spilled  
>out its alcoholic rage into your ears<br>That all is fair in love and—  
>well, I hope you find these lips<br>desirable.

The lipstick that I wear—I created its shade  
>myself—was made of melted down promises<br>and the royal blood of a princess

V.

Patience is a virtue but complacency  
>must be the worst of sins.<br>So I won't wait for your mouth to  
>find its way to mine<p>

I will be my own knight in  
>flak armor and when I am done<br>fighting hellish demons that invade my  
>castle, I will save you from yours<p>

VI.

When you finally kissed me, I expected  
>the Earth to crumble into eight million<br>nine-hundred thirty-five thousand and  
>two hundred pieces. Each for the amount of<br>minutes that have ticked  
>by waiting for this moment.<p>

I thought my soul would wrest itself  
>from the fierce grip of a body too scarred<br>by the relentless scolding of Father Time.

When none of those things happened  
>I hope you recall that I kissed you<br>again and again and again…

I once said that your smile saved me  
>and I thought your kisses would do the same<p>

You once said I was strong  
>and then that's when I realized the<br>Earth did not crack and the Heavens  
>did not bow because, this time, I<br>had broken the chains and freed myself.


	7. Day 17: Soulmate

**A/N:** This contribution is a segment of a fic I wrote but have never shared. It's a drabble series college AU set in California (as an American it's just easier to keep it American). The part I'm sharing now technically fits into three NH month prompts, but I'll just tag it in the "Soulmate" one. Sorry, it's very short.

* * *

><p>Sasuke and I like to debate stupid shit with each other all time. I think the only reason Sasuke and I are so close is because we're the only ones who can stand each other for extended periods of time. We like to challenge each other. On the outside of our relationship looking in, it may seem like we have some kind of fucked up rivalry, or that we might want to fuck each other (it's a funny story involving our Contemporary Lit teacher, Professor Hatake) and push those feelings aside by having most of our conversations be debates, but it's not that. I actually like the asshole sometimes, and honestly, we just do it because I consider Sasuke my equal in this and haven't found anyone else that really is here.<br>"No, dobe. The Greeks believed that when we were originally created, we had two sets of everything—four legs, four arms, two faces, whatever—and the gods feared our power, so they cut us in half upon arrival to Earth and for the rest of our lives we have to constantly search for that other half that we were stricken from. "

"Eh," I groan, "what bullshit."

Sasuke just shrugs his shoulders. His passivity bugs the shit out of me sometimes.

"The concept of soulmates just…it's ridiculous," I continue, hoping to get some kind of response from Sasuke "less-characters-than-Twitter" Uchiha.

"Who knew Naruto "bleeding heart" Uzumaki would take this stance on such an issue," Sasuke deadpans.

I glare at him, thinking of the different ways I can torture him in our dorm room later tonight. Maybe I'll play what he calls "stupid trash rap" music (which the asshole knows is all I listen to) while he's studying case law…

"Hey, Naruto! Sasuke!" we hear a voice calling us from behind. It's Sakura Haruno, a girl from our childhood that we reconnected with here at UCLA.

She waves at us. Always thought she was cute when we were kids, but seeing her here now. She is so pretty.

She runs up to us and we, well, I, greet her.

"Good luck in the debate tonight Naruto!" she says to me with a smile, "Though I'm sure you won't need it."

"Thanks, Sakura!" I say and grin at her. "Good luck tonight, Sasuke," she turns to my friend and speaks with more gentility as if she is more timid around him. I see that she likes him as clear as I can see that Sasuke, at least for the moment, holds no interest for the pink-haired biology (pre-med) major.

"Hn." he shrugs off her kindness, "yeah sure."

I see Sakura frown for a split second, her cheery facade fades at Sasuke's constant rebuffing of her advances.

"Well," she says, "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Sakura," I call after her as she speeds away.

When she's out of earshot I turn to Sasuke, "You dick. Why do you do that?" "What? Make sure she knows how I feel without telling her outright?" he snaps at me and keeps walking.

"This is university," he continues, "I'm studying to eventually take the Bar. To become a lawyer. I don't have time for this Greek bullshit."

I smile devilishly, "At least you agree the Greek thing is ridiculous."

Just then, a blast of wind hits me as a bike speeds past us. A girl with long blue/black hair rushes through the quad shouting, "Excuse me!" and "On your left!" in the general direction of passerby.

She has a brown tote bag filled with things strapped against her left shoulder. Inside, I can see a red scarf hanging precariously off the side. As she passes Sasuke and I, I can see the scarf being pulled away from its carrier and, as I feared, it drops from her tote to the ground, left forgotten as its owner speeds away.

"Hey wait! You dropped something!" I call after her to no avail.

I run up to where the scarf was displaced and pick it up off the ground. I find myself studying it carefully. It's knitted beautifully and is a deep shade of red. It would be a shame to lose this. Thinking to myself, even though I don't know her name and probably couldn't even positively identify a face, I vow to make sure it's returned.

Sasuke walks up to me and squats down as I am and picks up our initial conversation, "Now the 'red string of fate' is a Japanese belief I'm sure you know well…"


	8. Day 20: You're Drunk

**FYI: This fic is NH Month-Day 20- "You're Drunk". I did respond to the prompt before this one, Day 19-Intimacy, but as what I submitted for it I had already planned to go into my oneshot series _Naruto and Hinata's Infinite Playlist_, you can find it there in my list of stories on my profile. Yeah, bothersome, I know. Sorry!**

**~M.o.t.C**

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_Some people like the way it feels  
>Some people wanna kill their sorrows<br>Some people wanna fit in with the popular…" _

_"…__why you babysittin' only two or three shots?  
>I'm a show you how to turn it up a notch<br>First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it  
>Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it…"<em>

_ —__Swimming Pools (Drank),_Kendrick Lamar

With deafening pops and bangs, fireworks fill the night sky with colors of blue and green, red and white, purple and yellow, and so on. I look on in amazement. The sky is so huge. Looking at it now, I swear I can see the curve of the Earth as if the dark nighttime sky rounded out with this floating rock. The cold, freezing air bites my exposed face and hands. Why didn't I bring gloves?

I hear the cheers and shouts ring out.

"Happy New Year!" I hear these congratulatory statements all around me, yet, my eyes stay fixed on the sky above me. I let out a breath and the air that escapes my lungs dances before me like smoke before dissipating in the freezing midnight air.

_Here's to surviving another year,_I think to myself and another breath escapes my lips. I study the lost air carefully before it leaves my sight. I've made a habit recently of saying goodbye to these ghosts. I want them to know how much I appreciate having them before they leave.

"Happy New Year, Naruto!"

I turn to face my teammate. Sakura is smiling at me, clearly a bit tipsy, but happy.

"Happy New Year, Sakura-chan," I say unconvincingly. I curse myself for letting out the secret that I, happy-go-lucky, nothing can ever touch me or phase me Naruto Uzumaki, am not as happy as I usually am.

"Naruto," Sakura continues, she's no longer smiling, "don't just stand out here. Come inside with the rest of us!"

I study her for a second and acquiesce. I trudge into the bar with her giddily walking in front of me, pulling me by the wrist.

Inside, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Choji, and even Lee are sitting on barstools, no doubt getting absolutely shitfaced.

"Look who's here!" Sakura shouts to our friends. After that, I notice Ino, and Tenten sitting at a table together on the side. They smile and wave at me, mouthing, of course, "Happy New Year".

"_Hooo!" _Lee shouts in his naturally overly-energetic "youthful" way, "There he is, Konoha's hero!" I cringe inwardly at the title Lee and this village have bestowed upon me.

The other guys greet me and wish me a happy new year and I reply with the most enthusiasm I can muster. I am a bit tipsy already myself, and apparently I am not a happy drunk. Apparently, when I'm drunk I become the most depressed motherfucker anyone's ever seen.

"Happy New Year, Naruto-kun," a voice squeaks from behind me. I turn to see Hinata Hyuuga looking up at me with wide and excited eyes. She has a beer in her hand, and she thumbs its glass absently.

Easily, I find it within myself to smile at her, despite my mood. I return her greeting and ask her how she's been.

Then it starts.

"_Fuck_, that's strong!" I exclaim after downing a libation that I'm pretty sure managed to be more than 100% alcohol.

"Come on, Naruto! Princess is beating your ass, man!" Shikamaru shouts at me as he stands next to me watching. Like he's my fucking _coach_ or something.

"Yeah, who knew Hinata could down her liquor like that?" Ino interjects in shock.

I look at Hinata who's sitting in the seat opposite mine. She stops drinking and looks back at me. There's no blush. No nervous fidgeting. No wandering and uneasy eyes. She's looking right at me and her lavender eyes hold nothing but…confidence. She smiles at me and suddenly, I'm paralyzed. She pushes hair out of her face and ties it up with a tie around her wrist. Her hands move deftly as her gaze is still trained on me.

Who the hell is this?

"Naruto! Are you trying to lose to Miss Hinata or not?" Lee shouts behind a layer of some of our other comrades.

I look to Lee, about to give him a piece of my damn mind, when a giggle steals my attention away entirely. Hinata smiles at me and her giggles rip apart my perception of reality. She smiles at me coyly, almost sensually. She was getting drunk and it was tearing down her walls. In the dimly lit bar surrounded by several empty and full shot glasses and a couple of our closest friends, I was staring at Hinata, dumbly, foolishly and—

"You've gotta move a bit faster Naru-kun," she's saying to me now to the delight of our friends, who are just as shocked at this Hinata as I am.

I'm getting drunk, too, and I don't really know what this means for me. All I know is that it will probably hurt and I'd thank the gods for the pain.

I snap out of it and pick up my next glass, drinking the burning liquid until the cup is empty. Whatever happens….

"Give me all you've got, Naruto-kun," and she downs her next shot like it is water.

(I don't remember what happened after this. Honestly, this whole thing is blank. Sakura says after Hinata beat me, Hinata bought the two of us yaki soba to celebrate the coming of a new year. Choji said that we shared a bowl—commenting that he would never do something so ridiculous—and then said at one point the two of us broke apart a noodle that she and I had taken into our mouths at its ends, but I think he's full of shit.

Shikamaru said he was pretty wasted at that point, too, but distinctly remembered Hinata and I were getting pretty close to each other. He said we were all stumbling around, but Hinata and I had taken to holding onto each other for support, singing war tunes and songs from our childhood. He said he remembers because we both sounded awful and loud.

I do remember our conversation though, the one Hinata and I had. I remember it well…)

"Have you ever read it?"

"Nah," I say, "I don't really read very much."

Hinata laughs. She's off her ass, and so I know I shouldn't take offense, but I kinda do.

"Well, it's a terrible book, so don't worry 'bout…y'know…," she says to me now. Her small hand is playing with the zippers and snaps on my jacket and moves to lazily caressing my chest and stomach. I'm feeling shitty too so honestly I don't care. For the moment, I am more confused than anything. I'm sure the look on my face now looks like a personified question mark as I strain to understand just what in the hell she's talking about.

"I thought you said it was your favorite book?" I ask her. My arm is around her and she's leaning into me, still fucking around with my jacket. Her Byakugan eyes look dead with intoxication and now I'm wondering if she's ever been like this before.

"You ever like something that just…just fucking _sucks_?"

"No…" I say, confusion coloring my tone, "that would…defeat the purpose of liking it…"

Hinata laughs again, I like the sound of it. It's gentle. It's cute.

We're all crowded in my apartment, which is the closest place to the bar. Hinata and I are sat secluded on the tiled floor of my small kitchen, huddled up against the oven and the floor level cabinets I've never actually used. No one in my "living room" really seems to miss us all that much.

"When are you gonna take the Chunin exams again?" she asks me, eyes closed, smiling.

I scoff, "I'm just hoping someone will tell me I don't gotta do that shit. I don't think I can handle taking that written exam a _second_ time."

"What'll your dad say about you being this smashed?" I ask her, my eyes are closing too, I think I'm falling asleep.

"He won't hear anything past, 'I went up against Naruto Uzumaki, Konoha hero, and won!'."

I laugh, "That's dishonest! I'm surprised at you, Hina…"

"That's not dishonest. That's called framing your revelations so that they don't reveal that the pure and innocent little girl you raised beat the object of her love and lust at a drinking contest."

"Again, dishonest."

"Even the devil can cite scripture for his purpose."

"You're the devil now? Noted."

"Yup!"

"I'm not a hero."

"Noted. And I'm not innocent."

"Understood. Sheltered girls are always the most wild."

"I love you."

"I know."

"How?"

"You told me, Hinata, remember? Not just two seconds 'er somethin' ago, but, but when Pein attacked too…"

She chuckles quietly, "Oh yeah, yeah…He had funny body art…"

"Why?"

"I, yeah, right? I know, I know. Who just shoves rods through their own b—"

"Nah, no, no…I meant like…why do you, love me?"

"Tenten and Ino said they wouldn't fuck you," Hinata slurs now, completely ignoring my question, "I'm shocked since, because, every girl in this village wants to jump your bones now. A lotta guys, too, probably."

"Would you fuck me?"

"I love you?"

"That doesn't answer the question. That doesn't…Stop not answering my shit…"

"Yeah, all night," she says finally, giggling as she does.

"I'm flattered. You'd la-last all nigh…?"

"I…I beat Neji in stamina…"

"You fucked Neji?"

"No, I meant…yeah, who cares, I fucked Neji."

"Don… even joke like dat…"

"Would you fuck me?"

"No," I say. Hinata hasn't even opened her eyes, "I wouldn't fuck you. I'd _make love _to you."

"You're so…so…uh, so corny," Hinata laughs at this and I smile.

I try my luck, "My…my bedroom's like two, three…maybe six feet away. Whatta ya say, huh?"

"Shikamaru and Tem…Temtemari might be in there already. No, I don't want you…"

"Can't even get laid…on New Years…with a girl who _just _said she'd rock my world! You sav'n yourself fer someone better then?"

"I'm…no, I'm waiting for someone who loves me…"

My eyes pop open and suddenly, my heart aches.

"Naruto-kun," she starts again, we're leaned against each other still, both about to say our last words to each other before the morning, "Why do you not like to be called a hero? No modesty bullshit please."

"Why do you know your way around a bottle so well?" I ask her.

"Neji's gone," she answers, "and sometimes it helps."

"Neji's gone," I respond, "and so I don't deserve the name."

"I thought we talked about this," she says, yawning, "I thought you were listening to us, Naruto-kun."

"Have _you_ stopped blaming yourself for Neji's death?"

"Would I be drunk on this floor with you?"

"And here I thought you did it because you wanted to spend time with me!" I feign disappointment and sadness. Hinata sighs.

"We're just kids," I say after moment, I feel my voice rising in pitch, tears are threatening to fall, "he was just a kid…"

"No," she responds, her hand now rested on my leg, moving back and forth on my thigh, "we stopped being kids a while ago, Naru-kun."

In my kitchen I've got this clock that ticks with each passing second. The _click-click-click-click-clicking _I swear is getting louder, quicker, and more incessant. I'm too drained to stand, run up, and smash it to a billion pieces even though I _really _want to. Anything to stop the noise….

"I love you, too," I whisper in Hinata's ear. The noise stops.

"No, you don't," she replies just as quietly, not missing a beat, "you're just saying that because Neji's last words were said out of his _ded-cation _to being my win…wingman."

"You think I'm that shallow?"

"I think you're feeling guilty. And I think you're…you're…you're…what's the word? What are we?"

"Drunk?"

"Yeah, yeah, drunk. You're drunk."

"I think you're wrong."

"Drinking contest to settle it then?"

"I'm never doing that shit again."

"Then how will we settle it?"

"I said it. That's settlement enough. Take me at my word."

"I always have," she says, her voice getting quieter as sleep approached.

"That's right. So, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"It's New Years…will you kiss me?" I ask her. My eyes are closed and so when she shifts, I figure she's settled into sleep, the alcohol and partying has done its job. In our dark alcove in the corner of my apartment, the things I was concerned with before I came face to face with her vanish. It's always been that way, I realize. I also realize that at some point, at some unknown time, this girl became my biggest concern. No, it's not the alcohol. I am in love with Hinata Hyuuga.

I'm almost all the way out, about to let sleep take me over, when I feel something brush against my lips. It tingles and I crack open my eyes to see Hinata's face against mine. She breathes and I smell the liquor on her breath.

"Happy New Year, Naruto-kun," she whispers into me in a singsong way and giggles. Her lips find mine again and there's no question about it. I am praying to whoever's listening that they have mercy on both of us. I don't want to forget this night ever.


End file.
